If you’re a construction worker, you’ll want a cooler that will keep your lunch cold all day – today, we’ll be looking at our top 5 best lunch coolers for construction workers.
Durability is important – from waterproof work boots to socks for work boots, you’ll need gear that will be able to withstand all kinds of conditions. How can you find a cooler that is going to be able to cope with knocks and scrapes, and how can you tell if it will keep your lunch cold all day?
We’ll be looking at our top 5 coolers for construction workers today, so we’ll give you the lowdown on the toughest coolers out there.
The bottom line up front: we like the Arctic Zone Deep Freeze Cooler. It’s a good all-rounder that will keep your lunch cold all day long.
We also like:
- Igloo the Boss Playmate Cooler – a tough cooler in an iconic design
- Under Armour 12 Can Soft-Sided Cooler – a great soft-sided cooler for work
We’ll be looking at:
- What to look for in a lunch cooler for construction workers
- 5 of the best out there, including their key features, pros, and cons
- Some frequently asked questions
- Which ones we like the best, and why we like them so much
Let’s start with a quick overview of the coolers we’ll be looking at today.
Table of Contents
- Best Lunch Coolers for Construction Workers Compared
- What to Look for in a Lunch Cooler
- Top 5 Best Lunch Coolers for Construction Workers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- To Sum Up … Which is the best Cooler for Construction workers?
Best Lunch Coolers for Construction Workers Compared
What to Look for in a Lunch Cooler
Here are a few things to look out for in a lunch cooler:
Durability
Durability is a big factor if you’re working on a construction site. You’ll want to find a cooler that can withstand a lot of knocks and scrapes. You’ll also want to look for a cooler that is easy to clean, as it could get dirty pretty quickly depending on your working conditions.
It’s sometimes worth investing a little more money on a cooler for work on a construction site, because you may find yourself having to replace it often if you go for a cheaper model. Look for a cooler made from durable materials, with strong, rust-resistant components (like hinges and latches), and tough handles that can withstand a lot of use without breaking. Having said that, you can sometimes find a tough cooler for a lower price – for example, like the coolers in our Ozark Trail Cooler review.
Cooling Power
While you’re unlikely to need your cooler to last for days on end (unlike a cooler for camping or hunting/fishing trips), you will want something that is going to still be cold at the end of the day. Hard-sided coolers tend to stay cold for longer than soft-sided coolers, as a general rule.
You can also look for hard-sided coolers that are rotomolded. This is a manufacturing process, where coolers are made from one continuous, thick piece of plastic (you can find out more about this in Rotomold USA’s guide ‘What is Rotational Molding?‘). The plastic will be injected with insulating material. This helps to keep cold air trapped inside and ensure that there will be no cold air escaping through cracks in joins. (To find some great recommendations you can read our guide to the Best Rotomolded Coolers.)
You can also look for other features, like super-strong latches and rubber gaskets, which can help to squeeze the lid tightly shut, stopping warm air from being able to get inside.
You may sometimes see ice retention time advertised – this refers to how long ice will last before it melts. These tests tend to be done under ideal conditions, so your cooler may not keep ice for as long in real-life use. You can get more ideas on keeping ice in YETI’s guide on How to Keep Your YETI Hard Cooler Cold for Longer.
Capacity
You’ll find capacity measured in quarts (with 1 quart being equivalent to 0.94 liters), or in cans (this may be easier to give you a visual idea of how big it will be). Lunch coolers don’t have to be that big, depending on your needs. The larger the cooler, the heavier it will be.
If you need to find a larger cooler, you can find some in our guide to the Best Cooler with Wheels or the Best Large Cooler with Wheels.
Extra Features
Some coolers may have extra features. For example, some hard-sided coolers have tough lids that can double up as a seat. You may also find other features, like storage baskets or pockets to help to keep your contents organized. Storage areas that can keep your valuables safe and dry. You can also look for side pockets to keep water bottles.
Top 5 Best Lunch Coolers for Construction Workers
Now, let’s take a look at our top 5 lunch coolers for construction workers. We’ll be focusing on durability as well as cooling power. We’ll also share what we like and dislike about each one.
Igloo The Boss Playmate Cooler – Best Looking Cooler
Key Features
- Capacity: 14 Quarts (13.25 Liters)
- Cooling Time: Not stated
- Color: Silver and black
- Weight: 1.74 Kilograms (3.83 Pounds)
- Dimensions: 14.5 x 10.51 x 13.61 Inches (36.83 x 26.69 x 34.56 Centimeters)
The Igloo the Boss Playmate Cooler – is a great choice if you want a good-looking cooler. It’s from the iconic Playmate range, with the same classic shape as the others in the range, but it’s designed to be tough and durable. The size is pretty decent – enough for your lunch and a large water bottle, or a few smaller drinks.
It’s a durable cooler. It looks like it’s made from stainless steel, but it’s made from super-tough, durable plastic (this may get a little scratched up after a while, however). It has a diamond-plate exterior, which gives it a ‘rugged’ look. It’s designed to be tough, making it an ideal lunch cooler.
As far as cooling power is concerned, it’s pretty decent. Made with Igloo’s Maxcold insulation, with a few ice packs, it should keep your food and drinks cold all day – even if you’re working outside.
It has a molded carry handle and a push-button swivel lid which opens all the way to make it super easy to get to the contents.
Pros
- Iconic design
- Good cooling power, even if working outside
- Lid opens all the way for easy access
Cons
- Silver finish may get scratched up
Klein Tools Work Cooler – Most Durable and Secure
Key Features
- Capacity: 18 Cans or 72 Cans
- Cooling Time: 30 Hours
- Color: Orange and Black
- Weight: 3.08 Kilograms (6.8 Pounds)
- Dimensions: 16.75 x 12.5 x 13.5 Inches (42.54 x 31.75 x 34.29 Centimeters)
The Klein Tools Work Cooler – is a super-tough cooler that can handle all kinds of working conditions. It comes in two sizes – 18 cans or 72 cans. The 18-can version is perfect for work. It’s large enough to hold a good amount of food and a couple of large drinks as well.
It’s a durable cooler, made from a thick layer of plastic. All the components are durable, with a no-rust stainless steel hinge, for example. The lid is so strong that it doubles up as a seat, handling up to 300 pounds (136.1 kilograms) in weight.
The cooling power is pretty good – it has insulation in the walls, and it advertises the cooling time at 30 hours, which should be enough to keep your lunch nice and cool all day!
It has some handy extra features, too. The Klein WorkCooler has an inside storage compartment, which is excellent for keeping your valuables safe – the contents won’t get damp, so you can keep your phone and keys in there without worrying. It has a thick, durable shoulder strap for carrying. It lacks a molded carrying handle, which some people may find a bit annoying if they don’t want to carry it over their shoulder. The lid opens all the way to allow for easy access to the contents. The cooler also has a lock to keep everything safe inside.
Pros
- Tough and durable
- 30 hours of cooling time
- Has extra features, like a seat in the lid and a dry storage compartment
Cons
- Only has a shoulder strap for carrying
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Cooler – Best Ice Retention
Key Features
- Capacity: 20 Quarts (18.92 Liters)
- Cooling Time: Up to 4 days ice retention
- Color: Grey
- Weight: 7.63 Kilograms (16.84 Pounds)
- Dimensions: 22.05 x 14.77 x 13.98 Inches (56 x 37.51 x 35.50 Centimeters)
The Arctic Zone Deep Freeze Cooler – is a great cooler with excellent cooling capabilities. The 20 Quart (18.92 Liter) version is perfect for your lunch and a couple of drinks to keep you going throughout the day.
It’s a tough cooler, with corrosion-resistant components, a thick insulated plastic shell, and heavy-duty latches. It also has IGBC (Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee) Certification – this means it’s certified as being grizzly bear-proof. Possibly not an issue on a construction site, but at least you’ll know it’s super tough and durable. (You can get more recommendations for this on the IGBC Certified Product List).
It has excellent cooling capabilities, with up to 4 days of ice retention. This is based on filling the entire cooler with ice, but you can feel assured that your food and drinks will stay cold while you work. It has a strong rubber gasket and heavy-duty T-latches, which help to stop warm air from creeping in.
It has a strong carry handle, an oversized drain plug for easy emptying, a built-in fish ruler, and anti-skid feet. It’s a great cooler for construction sites, but would easily double as a cooler for camping trips or fishing trips, too. The downside is that it’s a heavy cooler to carry.
Pros
- IGBC certified
- 4 days ice retention
- Nice and durable
Cons
- Heavy to carry
Engel Cooler Dry Box – Best for Organization
Key Features
- Capacity: 19 Quarts (17.98 Liters)
- Cooling Time: Not stated
- Color: White
- Weight: 1.58 Kilograms (3.5 Pounds)
- Dimensions: 16.6 x 11 x 13 Inches (42 x 27.94 x 33 Centimeters)
The Engel Cooler Dry Box – is a great cooler for keeping the contents of your cooler organized. It has a good capacity of 19 Quarts (17.98 Liters), which is enough to keep your lunch and a large drink.
It’s pretty durable, with high-quality stainless steel components. The downside is that the hinges can get creaky after a little while. It also has stain and odor-resistant surfaces, meaning it should stay clean even after a lot of use.
It’s great in terms of cooling power. The Engel Cooler Dry Box has good insulation injected into the thick plastic walls, and an airtight gasket around the lid to help to keep cold air trapped inside.
The cooler has a storage basket built into it, which means you can keep the contents organized, keeping your dry goods away from food and drinks that need to be chilled. It has carry handles and a tough integrated shoulder strap. It has self-stopping rear hinges, so you can open the lid wide without it flapping all the way to the back.
Pros
- Integrated storage basket
- Has stain and odor-resistant surfaces
- Good capacity
- Lightweight
Cons
- Hinges may creak after a while
Under Armour 12 Can Soft-Sided Cooler – Best Soft-Sided Cooler
Key Features
- Capacity: 12 Cans
- Cooling Time: Not stated
- Color: Blue and black
- Weight: 0.90 Kilograms (2 Pounds)
- Dimensions: 11.3 x 11.5 x 7.5 Inches (28.7 x 29.21 x 19.05 Centimeters)
The Under Armour 12 Can Soft-Sided Cooler is perfect if you want a soft-sided cooler. It’s on the smaller side at 12 cans, but that’s enough to fit in your lunch and a drink.
It’s extremely lightweight and durable for a soft-sided cooler, with a durable lining that is easy to wipe clean. It also has a coating on the base fabric to resist dirt and water.
It has insulation built into the interior lining, with a magnetic lid to keep the contents cold. Soft-sided coolers tend to have a shorter cooling time/ice retention time than hard-sided coolers, but this one will keep your lunch cold until the end of the day.
It has two exterior zippered pockets – perfect for keeping non-food items – as well as an adjustable shoulder strap, and a fence hook so you can keep your lunch bag up off the ground.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Good insulation
- Can be hung on a fence
- Extremely lightweight
Cons
- Won’t stay cold for as long as a hard-sided cooler
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about lunch coolers for construction workers:
How can I keep my lunch cold all day?
Using a decent amount of ice (or plenty of ice packs) will help to keep your lunch cold all day. If you want to, you could pack your cooler overnight with ice packs, and then replace those ice packs with fresh ones in the morning. This will help to pre-chill it, ideal if you’re working in hot conditions.
Can I use my cooler for a camping trip?
It depends on the capacity and the cooling power of the cooler you have. If you’re traveling solo and you have the opportunity to replace your ice packs each day, your lunch cooler could work well.
How can I clean my cooler?
You can clean your cooler using warm, soapy water and a soft cloth. Make sure you drain out any melted ice first. Soft-sided coolers may come with a removable liner which makes them really easy to clean. You can find out more in The Kitchn’s guide on How to Clean a Dirty Cooler.
To Sum Up … Which is the best Cooler for Construction workers?
If we had to pick a favorite, it would be the Arctic Zone Deep Freeze Cooler. It’s a great all-rounder with excellent cooling power, and it will last all day.
If you’re after something with an eye-catching design that is still going to be durable, you may like the Igloo the Boss Playmate Cooler. Or, if you’re after a soft-sided cooler, you could go for the Under Armour 12 Can Soft-Sided Cooler, which is a durable cooler that works well.
If you have any cooler recommendations or ideas for any other type of gear for construction workers, leave us a comment – we’re always on the lookout for great gear.
We hope this has helped you to find a great lunch cooler. If you did find it helpful, feel free to share this article online!